Folding bed.



PATENTED-FEBJB, 1908.

H. A. LEWIS. FOLDING BED.

ALPPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 6, 1907.

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w. H. A. LEWIS.

FOLDING BED. APPLICATION TILED JUNE 6, 1907- a -citizen of the United States, (Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and UNITED STATES PATENT on rron.

WILLIAM H. A. LEWIS, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. v

FOLDING BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb. is, 1908.

Application filed June 61.1907. Serial No. 377.605.

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. A. LEWIS,

residing at State of lndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds; and'I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' This invention relates to beds, and more particularly to collapsible or folding beds;

effective, and will I durability,

and hasfor its object to provide a device of anykind, and it can be readily cleansed by heat, as by steam, thereby rendering it absolutely sanitary and cleanly.

The parts are readily accessible and can be easily other appliance at any time. The parts are made of standard sizes, and in case of breakage or necessary re air of any kind any of the parts can be readi y replaced.

The bed can be easily folded, and will occupy but small space, andcan be easily transported in that condition either wit -or without the ordinary bed clothing. The

- from place to place.

p 1 a covering or canopy, thereby ren view; Fig. is a ends are provided with means 'for su porting dering it serviceable for protecting the occupant from insects or from the weather. In this manner the-bed virtually becomes a tent or housing for the occupant and can be used independently of any other housin thereby rendering it peculiarly adaptab e for the use of armles, and especially for field hos ital service, and it can be as readily used y gangs of The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. 1

Figure 1' is a side elevationof the bed showmg the tent indotted lines; Fig. 2 is a 1 side elevation of the bed partly closed; Fig.

3 Is an end view' Fig. 4 1s a, cross sectional broken section on line 55 prevent lateral movement.

workmen who must necessarily move of Fig. '1; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe bed closed; Fi 7 is a broken ective of a modifiar view of another one of the posts the side rails are connected by endpieces 4,

which are also preferably formed from angle iron with one of the webs of the iron projecting vertically to afford a brace for the end boards 5. By inverting the end pieces in ends of the side rails for the reception of the end le s 6, which are pivotallyjsecured to the side rails and connected near their lower ends with the central posts 3 by means of truss rods 7. Cross braces 8 are securedat their ends to the legs 6 and also to theipostsfizto .are preferably formed from angleiron 'sfiid stays 9 are secured to the braces 8 and to the legs and posts respecg'yely, thereby securing great rigidity with very little weight. The posts are preferably formed from T iron, thereby adding to their strength and also aiiording a convenient means for securing the braces '8 and stays 9 thereto.

The legs and posts are so constructed and arranged that when the central portion of the bed is lifted or moved upward the side rails will fold longitudinally thereon, and the truss rods 7 .-will swing the lower ends of the end legs 6 out toward the en s of the bed recessing under the flange in t 1e side rails.

The pivot 10, by means of which the end posts are secured to the side rails, are upon the side of the stem of the central posts, and the connection with the [posts of the truss rods 7 is upon the side of t e stem next to the central posts, there- .within the flanges of the side rails, and also his construction causes the upper this manner a space is also afforded at the These braces the T farthest from by permitting of the truss rods recessing of the legs when the bed is collapsed or the bed in that direction at each end of the bed, but it necessitates placing the end legs at a slight angle or variation from the vertical to cause the proper folding of the parts when the bed is collapsed.

'the legs or end posts 11. from the weight of the tent or other covering, the. cross braces 14 also afford a means for holding the pillow. The end boards are adapted to fold ilat upon the top of the bed when desired, or

they can be folded down on the bedding to assist in holding it in position when the bed is being folded, or for other purposes. 'W'hen the end boards are raised into their vertical position they are locked therein by any suitf able means, preferably by means of a hoole i like latch 16, which is pivotally secured horizontally to the side rails in front of the leg and in position for its nose or hook 17 to engage with the front portion of the legs 11, therebyrigidly holding the end boards upright. The hook 17 may be so arranged that the strain upon the end pieces will not release them, as by making them slightly inclined.

Arranged transversely of the bed are suitable slats or supports 18, preferably formed from thin steel bands, prefmably about twenty-twogage. The ends of the bands or slats may be secured to the side rails in any suitable manner, but I prefer extending the ends of each slat over the top of the rails down the outside, folding it underneath and up on the inside of the depending flange or web of the rail. In this manner a very secure attachment is formed for the slats without the use of rivets or other appliances, and

permits of their being applied very readily,

'and without special tools, the only possible need of a tool being that of a pair of pliers to secure the inner end. The slats can be arranged a any desired distance apart, and will be held in that position against movement upon the rails by frictional contact.

The principle of my invention can be readily applied to use in connection with the end pier-es or end boards of an ordinary iron bedstead. In this structure clamps 19 are pivotally secured to the end of the fram, use,

shown at 20, and are each held in engage ment with one of the posts 21 of the bedstead by means of a bolt 22. The truss rods 23 are extended and connected with the lower ends of the posts by means of the brackets or clamps .2 1. The remainder of the structure by hand or in bulk.

is substantially the same as heretofore described and permits of the bed being folded in the same manner, by lifting the central portion and forcing the end posts toward each other.

means of brackets 25, which are pivotally. secured in the same manner as the clamps 19,

and the other ends are secured to the posts 26 by means of screws 26.

My invention can alsobe utilized for providing a cheap and'efficient mattress for the ordinary iron bed frame having angular side' rails. In this structure braces 27 are providcd from T iron with a portion of the stem or midrib of the iron cut away, as shown at 28, for engaging with the under side of the top web of the side rails, and having the top or flat portions of the braces bent down, as shown at 29, for engaging with the top of the side rails. The central or intermediate portions of the braces are depressed, as by bend' ing the braces downward, as shown at 30, which will cause them to be far enough below the slats 31 so as not to be in contact with the occupant. The ends of the slats 31 are bent around the side rails in the same mannor as the slats 18, as shown at 32.

In using my improved folding bed, when it is desired to collapse or fold the same, pressure is a plied to'one of the end boards, which wil cause the side rails at that end to swing upon the pivots of the end posts so as to elevate the central portion of the bed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and gradually draw the opposite end inward. As soon as the operator can reach the central cross piece of the bed and draw it toward that end, the folding will be com leted, and the trussTods will force the end egs longitudinally of the 'side rails and permit of the said rails being drawn together, as shown in Fig. 3. In this condition it is evident that the bed will occupy but a very limited amount of space, and is so compact t lat it can be easily transported To extend the bed, the

operator takes hold of one end and draws it forward, which causes the side rails to resume their horizontal position with the legs arranged under them vertically. The end boards are then raised into their elevated osition and located, and the bed is ready for use.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings, the construction and operation 0 the invention will be readily understood Without requiring .a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of theadvantages of thisinvention.

. .70 Instead of using the iron ,end boards, as p Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding bed, central legs, oppositely extending frames pivotally secured to the upper ends of the legs, end legs pivotally secured to said frames near their outer ends,

'truss rods connected with the central legs legs being formed from T iron, the truss rods being connected to the end legs upon. the

side of the stem or midrib opposite the pivotal connection of thelegs with the frames, and the upper end of each end leg being adapted to engage with the side rails and form a brace to prevent outward longitudinal movement of the bed at each end.

3. In a folding bed, oppositely'extending and end legs respectively, said board comprising legs formed from angle non, an extension secured at its ends to said legs, braces secured at their ends to the ends of said extension and legs respectively, and latches pivotally secured to said frames in position for bein moved into and out of position with said egs to hold the end boards in a vertical position.

4. In a folding bed, oppositely extending frames pivotally, connected at their inner ends, end boards for the same rovided with posts, clamps secured to 831d posts and pivotally connected with said frames, central supporting legs, and truss rods connected with said legs, and posts near their lower ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. H. A. LEWIS Witnesses:

BENJ. G. CowL, L. O. HILTON. 

